Changeable illuminated sign



0. F. REED 2,259,909

CHANGEABLE ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed July 27, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 |-|-|-1 -1 ||l :||u|||PL||+:-|-|| 111f.rr|---ul|-.||| I gvm 6 6000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000 0000600 000 000000000OOOOQOOOOOOOOOGUT 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000 000 0000000000000000000000000 m\ 3 F Qwk -8 m n E a x 00000000000 00 000000000000. 0 000 000000000000000000000000. o-oo 00000-0o 0 000 v 0000000000000000000000. mm 0000000 00000000000 .000 0000000000 0000000000000000 000 a 00000 00000 0000000000000 000000000000000000 000 000000000 0000000000000000 0000000000000000000000000000000000 0 .00O0000000000000000000000000000000000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO00OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOQOMO o 0000000000000000000000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO0000000000000000000000000000000000000 a .00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 -Q .0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 000 00000000000000000000. 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 @Q 0000000000000000000O00000000000000000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO000000000000000000000000 o 00000O0O000000000000000O00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000009 0000000000000 0000000000- v 0000 no 0 000- a. n 0000 0 u u u 000 '0 O 0000000000000000000000. 5000000000000000000000. '00 0000-0- 000 0 O0 00000000000000000000. 0000000000000000000000a. no a 010 0 -0 0 a u 0 0 0 C0 0. 00000000000000000000000. 00OOOOOOGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOIu a 0 0 0 OO O OO OOO O 0000 0 00000000000000 .00000000000000000 000 00 0.00 0 0 000 0 00000000000000 00OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOc0 a 00000- 0. 00.0 00000000 0000 0 00000000000000 0000000000000000000000- 0.000.: -0-0.0o0O 0 O'0 0- 00000000000000. 5000000000000000000000. O-Oa Of. '0 0000 00000000000009 o.00000000000000000000000 00.0000. 0 QQOOOOOOOOOOOOO0OO0O 00000000000000.fi 6.0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000. 00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000O00000 .000000000000000000O0000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000 0? o O00000000000OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO00000000000000000000000000 00000000000000C 0000000000000OOOOOO000 0000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000 0O000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 00000000000000 0000O00Q00000o 0 000000000000000 000000000000000000000 00000000000000. Q00 500000000000000000000000000000 10000030. 00000 000 000000000000 0 J 50000000000000000000000000000 u 00.000O00 0 0000000000000 00000000000003 00000000000000. 00000000000000. 00000000000000 00000000000000 000 0 001 o o a 00 00C uo0oooooooun- Uct. 21, 1941.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 27, 1940 aesassssa sl Oct. 21, 1941. REED CHANGEABLE ILLUMINATED SIGN Filed July 2'7, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I an w w ffi c/qy ga yuvygg guu JYWQ/HM 61 1. Feed Patented Oct. 21, 1941 CHANGEABLE ILLUMINATED SIG George F. Reed, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Myrtle M. Reed, Pittsburgh; Pa.

Application July 27, 1940, Sean No. 348,003 7 Claims. (01. 40-130) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in changeable illuminated signs.

Theprimary object of'the invention is to provide a changeable illuminated sign wherein the A front wall of the sign is of doublepanel forma- ,tion with the panels constructed for clamping engagement with flanged heads of lamp sockets whereby the lamp sockets are retained in assembled relation on the sign by the double panel formation of front wall construction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a changeable sign of the foregoing character wherein the front wall of the sign is of double panel formation, registering openings of identical t size being formed in both panels for the support of lamp sockets with an outwardly flanged head on each lamp socket positioned between the two panels with the open end of the sockets exposed through the openings in the outer panel for the selective reception of lamps or closure plugs having flanged heads completely filling the adjacent opening in the outer panel with the outer ends of the heads of the plugs lying flush with the outer face of the outer panel to present a smooth end of a lamp socket with conductor wires as- .sociated therewith,

and uninterrupted surface at the outer side of the sign over the area that is not equipped with lamps.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a changeable illuminatedsign of the foregoing character wherein a plurality of lines of electric lamps have the lamps of each line separately connected in parallel with-a plurality of plug-in strips to which the several lines are selectively connected for the selective illumination of chosen lines in an advertising display assemblage.-

With the above and other objects in View that will become apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in general of certain novel details of construction I and combination of parts herein more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a changeable illuminated sign constructed in accordance with the present invention, the front panel wall of the sign displaying advertising characters attached thereto and viewable during daylight and viewable by illumination at night,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the sign showing the wiring arrangement including the circuits leading to the lamps,

" tional view taken on line.33 of Figure 21, showing outlets at one side of a fuse box andthe horizontal lines of lamps,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view taken. on line 4- -4 of Figure 1, showing a single conductor wire having aseries of lamp sockets connected thereto, I

Figure 51s a detail sectional view showing a part of the front wall of the sign of double panel formation with a lamp socket clamped between the two panels of the wallwith a lamp in the socket, v

Figure 6 is .a. fragmentary detail sectional view similar to Figure 5,showing a water-proof closure plugfora lamp socket having the enlarged outer headed end thereof with a flush seat in the opening in the outer panel of the wall, the advertising characters being. omitted,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary planv view, partly broken away and shown in section, of the inner Figure 8 is afdetail sectional View showing a tie rod connection between the front wall ofthe sign and rearwardly positioned frame bars, and Figure 9 is a detail sectional view showing a post clamp carried .by a vertical end of the sign for attachment to a supporting post. 7 The changeable illuminated sign may baconstructedof any material desired as well as being of various configurations or designs and may also be constructed for inter'lor. and outside display purposes. The frame structure of the sign is of generally rectangular form in plan as shown in Figure {1, comprising upright corner posts ll] of angle'iron formation. with vertical end walls II connecting the corner posts l0 atv each end of the frame. Head and base rails l2 and I3 respectively of angle formation connect the upper ends of the corner posts III, the rear wall of the sign being of skeleton formation and as shown more clearly in Figure 2 comprises vertical bars l4 of angle, iron formation connected atitheir upper and lower endsto the adjacent head and base prising tubular members I! internally threaded Figure 3' is a fragmentary vertical cross-secat their ends for the reception of screws 18 and I9 respectively carried by the rear and front walls of the frame. Themarginal edges of the panels I 5 and I6 .inclose adjacent flanges of the upright corner posts I and the head and base rails I2 and I3 as shown in Figure 3 and are bolted to said flanges as at I5 A top wall section 28 is disposed between the head rails I2 to provide a top closure for the frame of the sign as shown in Figure 3.

As shown more clearly in Figures 5 and 6 the front and rear panels I5 and I6 of the front wall provide supports for the lamp sockets 2|, Figure 1 of the drawings pictorially illustrating the display face of the sign as comprising a plurality of horizontal illuminating lines 22, the '7 upper end of the sign plate having-two illumiof the sign plate, while two horizontal illuminating lines 24 forming the border at thelower end of the sign plate are in series with two vertical illuminating lines 24 at the other end of the signplate. The border lines 23 and 23%=- and Me-24 are arranged for constant illumination when the sign is in operationr Advertising characters, such as lights to form words, slogans and the likeindicated by the reference numeral 25 may be in thenature of cutouts'that maybe paste'd'to the outer face of the front panel I5 or retained in position on the panel by means of the lamps 26 passing through openings in the advertising characters 25, the latter being preferably of a'character in color or the like contrasting with the outer face of the front panel I5 for clear displayduring the day. It is to be understood that advertising characters or symbols of any character may be associated with the sign plate. The advertising characters 25 shown inFig. 1 are preferably in theform of perforated sheets and maybe retained in position by .the associated lamps '25 or glued onto the front wall I5. l .7

As shown more clearly in Figures 5 and 6, the front and rear panels I5 and I6 of the front wall of the signare formed with aplurality of horizontally alinedspaced openings 21 and 28 respectively and-the'lampLsocket 2| is of the same diameter as said openings, the lamp socket 2| having an outwardlylflanged head. 29-at-the socketed end thereofflthat is disposed between the front and, rear 'panels I5 and: IE to be clampingly engagedw thereby' for' holding. the lamp socketsin, position. As-jshown inlFigu-re 5; the screw base 38 of the lamp 26 passes through the outer opening. 21 to thread into the socket 3I' per se of the lamp socket 2|. Each. horizontal illuminating line 22, 23 and 24 includes a pair of conductor wires '32 and"3 3. iAs shownin Figures 5 to '7, the base of the lampisocketlfl has a pair of spaced parallel grooves 34 through which the conductor wires 32 and 83 pass, the lamp socket 2l havingpins '35 and 35 respectively projecting intosaid grooves'for piercing the insulationupon the conductor-wires 32 and 33. When the end that the advertising characters 25 show the words fOhio house, f Only tl'ievlampsin the border lines 23-23 g land 24 -are illuminated together with the lamps overlying the lights forming the words Ohio house. All of the other lamp sockets have the lamps 26 removed therefrom and each socket is closed by a Waterproof plug 40 formed of rubber or the like that frictionally engages the socket 3| per se of the lamp socket 2|, the outer end of the water-proof plug carrying a flanged head 4| of the same diameter as the opening 21 in the front panel I5, the flanged head entering said opening 21 and lying flush with the outer face of the front panel I5 to present a smooth and uninterrupted front surface to which other advertising characters or "symbols may be readily applied.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the source of electrical energy and the conductor wires and control devices therefor for the illumination of :the lamps 25 comprise a pair of lead-in conductors 42. and 43 and a ground conductor 44. The lead-in conductor 42 has branch connections 45 and 46 with the two fuse boxes 41 and 48, the other lead-in wire 43 having. branch connections 49 and 50', with said fuse boxes 41 and 48 while the ground wire 44' has branch connections 5| and 52 with said fuse boxes. The fuse box 48 has a pair of plug outlets 53 and 54 carrying supply and return conductor wires 55 and 56 respectively to the outer and inner illuminated lines 24 and 24, while th fuse box 41 has a pair of plug outlets 51 and 58 with supply andreturn conductor wires '59 and til respectively communicating with the outer and inner illuminated lines 23 and 23 7 A plurality of plug-in strips is supported on the skeleton rear wall of the frame structure by means of the vertical bars I4, the plug-in strips being flexibly arranged adjacent one end of the frame structure and at the base portion thereof as illustrated in Figure 2, and for the vsize of illuminated sign disclosed sixteen plug-in strips are provided, eight plug-in strips being associated' with each of the fuse boxes 41 and 48. The plug-in strips are arranged invertically spaced relation and the plug-in strips associated with'the fuse box 41 include four plug-in strips BI, 62, E3 and 84 that have separate conductor wire connections 85 with the four outlet plugs 66 at one si'de of the fuse box 41,v the other side of the fuse box 41 having four outlet plugs 61 carrying four conductor wires 58 that respectively communicate with four plug-in strips 69, 10,"||

and I2. The fuse box 48 has four outlet plugs I3 at one side thereof with separate conductor wire connections 14 with four plug-in strips 15, I6, I! and I8, while four outlet plugs 19 at the other side of the fuse box 48have conductor wireconnections 8fl' with four plug-in strips 8|, s2, s3 and 84. Each illuminated line 22 of the sign has the lamps 26 therein connected in parallel and a conductor wire'85 extending from each line 22 carries a contact plug for engagement with a selected plug-in strip;

From the above detailed description of themvention, it is believed that the construction and "operation thereof will at once be apparent, it being noted that to accomplish the illumination of the lamps associated with the advertising characters 25 shown in Figure 1 have the conductor wires for the lamps appearing in said lines engaged with one of the plug-in strips while the other conductor wires 85 are disengaged from said plug-in strips. It is only necessary, to mount lamps 2b in the lamp sockets 2| that are to be active while the other lamp sockets have the water-proof plugs, 40 mounted therein. With the arrangement described, any of the lamps in the illuminated lines '22 may be placed in active service to obtain various combinations with illuminated lamps for different advertising purposes.

The changeable illuminated sign may be supported in any convenient manner and when used for outside advertising purposes, the mounting brackets shown in Figure 9 may be employed as comprising a pair of semi-circular clamp members 86 and 81 engaged with a supporting post 88 and held in clamped engagement therewith by bolt and nut combinations 89 passing through ears 99 carried by the clamp members 86 and 81 for securing the same into the post 88. The clamp member 81 is carried by the vertical side wall H of the frame structure.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that minor changes may be made in the details of construction, such as will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

1. In a changeable illuminated sign, a frame structure including front and rear wall members, the front wall member being formed of spaced front and rear panels having a plurality of registering openings therein, lamp sockets mounted in the openings in the rear panel and having flanged heads clamped between the panels for the support of the lamp sockets, said sockets being arranged in separate lines with the sockets of each line connected in parallel, plugin strips carried by the rear wall member, said plug-in strips being in communication with a source of electrical energy, selective conductor wire connections between the separate lines of sockets and plug-in strips and said sockets adapted to removably receive lamps in predetermined groups for changeable display purposes.

2. In a changeable illuminated sign, a frame structure including front and rear wall members, the front wall member being formed of spaced front and rear panels having a plurality of registering openings therein, lamp sockets mounted in the opening in the rear panel and having flanged heads clamped between the panels for the support of the lamp sockets, said sockets being arranged in separate lines with the sockets of each line connected in parallel, plug-in strips carried by the rear wall member, said plug-in strips being in communication with a source of electrical energy, selective conductor wire connections between the separate lines of sockets and plug-in strips and chosen ones of said sockets adapted to removably receive lamps in predetermined groups for changeable display purposes, and water-proof insulation plugs adapted to close the other sockets.

3. In a changeable illuminated sign, a frame structure including front and rear wall members, the front wall member being formed of spaced front and rear panels having a plurality of registering openings therein, lamp sockets mounted in the openings in the rear panel and. having flanged heads clamped between the panels for the support of the lamp sockets, said sockets being arranged in separate lines with the sockets of each line connected in parallel, plug-in strips carried by the rear wall member, said plug-in strips being in communication with a source of electrical energy, selective conductor wire connections between the separate lines of sockets and plug-in strips and chosen ones of said sockets adapted to removably receive lamps in predetermined groups for changeable display purposes, and water-proof insulation plugs adapted to close the other sockets and having heads filling the openings in the front panel and lying flush with the outer face of the front panel. 4. In a changeable illuminated sign, a frame structure including front and rear wall members, the front wall member being formed of spaced front and rear panels having a plurality of registering openings therein, lamp sockets mounted in the openings in the rear panel and having flanged heads clamped between the panels for the support of the lamp sockets, said sockets being arranged in separate lines with the sockets of each line connected in parallel, plug-in strips carried by the rear wall member, said plug-in strips being in communication with a source of electrical energy, selective conductor wire connections between the separate lines of sockets and plug-in strips, said sockets adapted to removably receive lamps in predetermined groups for changeable display purposes, and advertising characters of sheet form mounted on the front wall member and having openings therein registering with adjacent openings in said front wall member for the passage of lamps with the latter retaining the advertising characters in position on the front wall.

5. In a changeable illuminated sign, a frame structure including front and rear wall members, the front wall member being formed of spaced front and rear panels having a plurality of registering openings therein, lamp sockets mounted in the openings in the rear panel and having flanged heads clamped between the panels for the support of the lamp sockets, said sockets being arranged in separate lines with the sockets of each line connected in parallel, plug-in strips carried by the rear wall member, said plugin strips being in communication with a source of electrical energy, selective conductor wire connections between the separate lines of sockets and plug-in strips, said sockets adapted to removably receive lamps in predetermined groups for changeable display purposes, and advertising characters of sheet form adhesively mounted on the front wall member and having openings therein registering with the openings in the front wall member for the passage of lamps.

GEORGE F. 

